Table-leaf support



(No Model.)

H. A. KAUPHOLD & J. GENTER.

TABLE LEAF SUPPORT.

No. 359,322. Patented Mar. 15, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HENRY A. KAUFHOLD AND JOHN GEN'IER, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

TABLE-LEAF SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,322, dated March 15, 1887. Application filed September 23, 1886. SeriaLNo. 214,355. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY A. KAUFHOLD and JOHN GENTER, citizens of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Table-Leaf Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in table-leaf supports;

and it consists,essentially,in providing the rail of the table with a locking-plate and an automatically-acting latch adapted to engage with and look a supporting-bar.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding features, Figure 1 represents a perspective sectional view of a portion of a table, showing our improvement applied thereto. Fig. 1 represents a detail view of the lower end of the leaf-supporting rod; Fig. 2, a face view of the locking-plate and catch; and Fig. 3, a sectional view of the plate, the catch, and a portion of the supporting-rod.

The letter A designates a portion of a tabletop, provided with the usual rail, B, to the lower edge of which is secured, by screws or otherwise,a inetalliclocking-plate, O, the lower portion of which extends inwardly at an obtuse angle to the body of the plate. This plate is provided with a slot, D, and with webs E on the rear side, which are notched at F to receive the lower cross-bar of the support-ingrod. One of the webs has the outer notch closed by a portion, G, which prevents the cross-bar of the supporting-rod from slipping too far in that direction. To this plate is pivotally mounted a catch, H, the greater weight of which is eccentric to the pivotal point, whereby it is made to swing at its lower end more or less across the slot in the plate, so that it automatically assumes the proper position to engage with the supporting-bar. A stud, I, projecting from the plate serves to prevent movement of the latch in one direction. A spring J, is secured to the rail and passes around a pin, K, and is fitted at its free end against the catch H. This spring is for the purpose of more quickly returning the catch to engaging position than it will return under the influence of gravity. The spring, however, is not indispensable, as the device will work well without it. the catch, at the side toward the slot in the plate,is curved, so that the supporting-rodcan gradually force it back as the rod is being adjusted to locking position. This rod may be of any desired length, and is connected pivotally by a clip, L, to the under side of the hinged leaf M of the table. At the other end the rod is constructed with transverse projections N,and also with a flange, O, curved on its outer edge and cut off square at its lower end to form a shoulder. When the rod is be ing adjusted to locking position, the edge of the hinged leaf is simply raised up the full height, in doing which the rod will slide in the slot in the plate until the transverse projections reach the inner side of the plate, when they ride upward on the webs and drop into the notches E, the curved edge of the flange O at the same time coming in contact with the curved edge of the latch and forcing the latch to one side until the end of the flange passes the latch, when it flies back into normal position. The bar is thus locked with the transverse projections in the notches and the shoulder upon the catch. The catch is provided with a knob or handle, 1?, to manipulate it when it is desired to lower the leaf.

This device is extremely simple, and is very strong and lasting, and, being composed of few pieces, is quite cheap. Furthermore, no increased weight or jar will act to dislocate the rod from looking position, but, on the contrary, rather tends to tighten the connection. More than this, the table may be lifted or moved about the room by taking hold of the hinged leaf without unlocking the rod.

We would state that we are aware that tableleaf supports have been made with a supporting-rod having transverse projections and a shoulder at its lower end, and also with lock ing-plate, to; which is fitted a bolt which is used to engage the shoulder on the rod. We

would not therefore be understood as broadly laying claim to such devices.

We are also aware that a latch which drops behind the shoulder on the rod and which is pivoted near one end to a locking-plate is old.

The lower end of 5 Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a table-leaf support, the combination, with the table-rail, a slotted locking-plate extending rearwardly at its lower end and provided with notches, and an eccentrieally-pivoted latch constructed to stand normally partly across the said slot, of a supporting-rod pivotally connected with the leaf at one end and provided with transverse projections at the other, and with a flange provided with a curved edge and an abrupt end.

2. In a table-leaf support, the combination, with a slotted locking-plate extending rear- In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A. KAUFHOLD. JOHN GENTER. \Vitnesses:

THEODORE HESSINGER, FRED. WAGNER. 

